Ventilated cap



VENTILATED CAP Filed Dec. 6, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS MILTON s.KAYE ARNOLD I KAPLAN WWWW ATTORNEYS 1964 M. s. KAYE ETAL 3,

VENTILATED CAP Filed Dec. 6, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS i f i 23A 44 D II4 I! am 42 z I a FIG. 5

JNVENTORS MILTON s. KAYE BY ARNOLDT. KAPLAN gbaiyogy-ghw ATTORN EYSUnited States Patent 3,161,889 VENTEATED CAP Milton S. Kaye, Newton, andArnold J. Kaplan, Quincy, Mass. (both of 116 Bedford St, Boston, Mass)Filed Dec. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 323,536

6 Claims, (6i. 2-2tl9.4)

The present invention relates generally to hats and more particularly tothose generally classified as caps, especially uniform caps of the typeworn by policemen, firemen, conductors and others.

In the manufacture of caps and particularly uniform caps having peaks,it has been the practice heretofore to shape the crown and basal portionof the hat with the aid of frames which have heretofore been formed ofcane material. Originally this cane material Wasmade of a closely wovenmaterial with individual vertical strands extending substantially beyondthe uppermost parallel strand, Later a similar construction was utilizedwherein Woven material was formed of an open cane so as to providegreater ventilation. In all of these earlier mod1- fications theindividual vertically oriented cane strips were flared outwardly andindividually secured to reinforcing elements for purposes of shaping thecap and particularly the crown portion. This frame material formed ofcane strips is relatively heavy, bulky and diflicult to handle.Moreover, cane material splinters, is subject to cracking if flexed totoo great an extent and is not easy to stitch. The individual elementsare likely to split if perforated by stitching. Moreover, the verticallyoriented cane stnps do not normally align with one another properly andhave to be treated individually, often with great dificulty and expense.In the case of the open mesh cane strip frame used in ventilated caps,little protection was afforded against rain. In addition, these caneframes have qualities which otherwise inherently limit the ability tostyle caps, particularly ventilated caps in which they are used. Inaddition, such cane frames are relatively expensive and easy topermanently damage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a uniform capconstruction particularly for uniform caps having peaks wherein the capis provided with an. improved foundation construction formed of a selfsupporting woven material of relatively fine strands forming a rigidinterlock porous mesh which is unusually light in Weight and isparticularly suited for use in ventilated cap constructions. V

A further object of the present invention is to provide a uniform capconstruction having a frame which is formed'of aninexpensive wovenmaterial that is relatively easy to handlein manufacture, is rigid andresilient, is capable of withstanding substantial strains and stressesand will retain its form even after'being subjected to deformingpressures for long periods of time. i a

A further object of the present invention is to provide a uniform capconstruction which is particularly suited for ventilated capconstructions and in which the frame of the cap is not only relativelyrigidand resilient but is also very light and suficiently porous toreadily pass circulating air.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a frame for auniform cap which frame is formed of woven material having -a pluralityof interwoven parallel horizontal strands and vertical strands, with theuppermost group of parallel strands severed at regu ar intervals aboutthe frame whereby the upper portion of the frame is divided into aplurality of upwardly extending tabs. These tabs, each of a porous wovenmesh, may be flared outwardly to support the crown of the uniform cap ina rigid permanent shape,

A still further object of the present invention is to protheir wovenposition by suitable adhesive.

vide a uniform cap frame formed of flexible woven material which is selfsupporting, with the flexible material rolled into a substantiallycircular form, with the upper portions of the circular form or frame cutvertically at regular intervals to divide the upper portion intoupwardly extending tabs with each tab itself formed of woven material.The upwardly extending tabs are flexed into selected shapes and securedin these shapes by reinforcing means in the form of reinforcing tapesand bindings which prevent sagging, warping arid distortion of the capand thereby assure maximum wearing qualities in a lightweight cap.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a capconstruction which embodies a frame of lightweight construction formedof woven material with the frame having lower and upper portions both ofwoven material.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improveduniform cap construction having a woven frame of the type described,which is particularly useful and adapted for shaping in manufacture andwhich may be made economically and with greater uniformity than caps ofthe type heretofore made.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a construction whichnot only affords a means in which uniform caps may be ventilated but inwhich such uniform caps are also resistant to the passage of rain andwater through the ventilated portions of the caps.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will bemore clearly understood when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view showing one form of the improved capconstruction of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional elevation taken substantiallyalong the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of another form of the improved capconstruction of this invention with a portion of the cap body brokenaway to show the details of construction; FIG. 4 is a plan elevation ofthe material of which the frame is formed, and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional elevation similar to that ofFIG. 2 but of a further modification of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2' there is illustrated a preferred form ofthis invention wherein ventilation is provided in the basal portion 1 aswell as the crown portion 2 of the uniform cap. In this arrangement, aframe 3 1s formed of a woven mesh material best illustrated in Fig 4.This woven mesh material is formed of aplurahty of parallel horizontalstrands 5 interwoven with a plurality of parallel vertical strands 6materials may be used, nylon has been found the most satisfactory andpreferred. The strands are preferably monofilaments of nylon or the likewhich are locked into 7 Other materials may also be used provided theyafiord sufficient rigidity. If desired, the material may be sized to addstiffness to the web of which the frame 3 is formed. The web illustratedin FIG. 4 may be'formed by preparing elongated strips of uniformly wovenmaterial and then cutting one side edge 3 with a series of parallelslits 9 extending inwardly from the side edge 8 for a distance whichpreferably approximates half of the width of the strip but may varydepending upon the particular application for which the frame is beingprepared. The web is cut to a length suflicient to form a circle havinga diameter related to the size of the hat for which the frame is beingprepared. The frame is circularly formed with a portion of the cut endsoverlapping. The lower edge 12 of the frame 3 has a reinforcing strip 14secured to it. This reinforcing strip which extends all the way aroundthe hat may be formed of cardboard or similar material. A finish binding15 is positioned with one portion 16 on the inside and the other portion17 on the outside of the frame 3. The inside portion 16 of the finishbinding 15, the reinforcing strip 14, the frame 3, the outside portion17 of the finish binding and an outer covering 23 may be stitchedtogether by stitching 13. The sweat band 18 is stitched to the finishbinding by stitching 19. The sweat band 18 may be formed of any suitablematerial such, for example, as leather or synthetic leather. The finishbinding 15 is preferably formed of a twilled cloth.

In the ventilated hat construction illustrated in FIG. 2 the basalportion 1 is preferably provided with an outer cover 23 which may beformed of a heavy decorative open meshed cotton or other fiber. Theopenings formed in the outer covering 23 are preferably larger thanthose formed by the frame 3. Preferably the frame 3 is formed of a meshmaterial having openings in the order of 400 openings per square inch.This has been found effective in such constructions to effectivelyprevent the passage of water, under normal conditions, through theventilated portions of the hat.

The frame is provided with a reinforcing tape 28 which extends all theway around the frame on its inner side preferably on a level below thetabs 29 which are defined by the slits 9 in the web 3, and preferablybelow the upper edge 30 of the basal band. This reinforcing tape 28 maybe formed of any relatively stiff self supporting material such as clothcovered wire which may be stitched to the frame. The tape 28 is stitchedto the frame 3 by stitches 35.

The upper edge of the frame 3 is provided with a series of tabs 29defined each from the adjacent ones by downwardly extending slits 9. Inthe preferred embodiment which is utilized in connection with aventilated cap having an outwardly flared crown 2, the tabs are flaredoutwardly. However, it is possible to use the present construction incaps wherein the crown is not outwardly A flared. The upper edges 8 ofthe frame are secured in fixed relation by an inverted U-shaped feltpadding 36 which extends all around the frame. This padding 36 is inturn covered and secured by a finish binding 37 with the finish binding37 stitched to the frame 3 through the felt 36 by means of stitches 38.The stitches 38 may also secure,'if desired, the frame 3 at its upperedge, felting 36, and binding 37 to the outer side wall 39 of the crownand the top 40 of the hat. In this arrangement, the top 40 is formed ofany suitable material, preferably leather or a waterproofed material,and has its periphery folded over the upper edge of the wall 39 asindicated at 41.

The hat may be suitably finished with a visor 42 secured between thesweatband and frame by suitable well known means and may also beprovided with decorative bands of the type illustrated at 44.

In the construction illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the outer covering 23and outer wall 39 are both open mesh construction formed, for example,of open woven cotton, nylon or other material. These open mesh coveringspreferably have openings larger than those in the frame 3 and freelypass air therethrough. The frame 3, however, while also passing air isprovided with a mesh sufliciently small so as to effectively occlude thepassage of any water that may pass through the outer covering of thehat.

The tabs 29 are readily stitched to the binding 37 and as well as theouter wall 39 and the top 40, since each tab is provided with a weblikeportion which is readily adapted for engagement with the stitches 38.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 like figures refer to likeportions of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1. In this arrangement,however, the outer covering 23A is formed of a closely woven relativelynonporous material which will not ventilate the lower portion of the capinstead of the open mesh illustrated at 23 in FIG. 1. The crown portionof the cap is, however, formed in a manner similar to that illustratedin FIG. 1 and ventilation is provided in the crown portion.

Another form of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 5 wherein likenumerals refer to like portions of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1.In this arrangement, however, the cap is a nonventilated style commonlyused during the winter. Here, the felt padding 36 extends downwardly theheight of the crown 2 and the height of the basal portion 1' and issecured between the frame 3 and the finish binding 15. The outer sidewall of the crown is formed in a closely woven material 39' which is notadapted to pass air for ventilation purposes. Similarly the outercovering 23' of the basal band 1' is a closely woven material ornonporous fabric that is not adapted to pass air or moisture.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cap construction a circular frame formed of self supportingwoven material with said material having a plurality of parallelhorizontal strands extending around said frame and a plurality ofparallel vertical strands interwoven with said horizontal strands, andwith the uppermost of a plurality of said horizontal strands severedalong a plurality of vertical lines at regular intervals about saidframe to form the upper portion of said frame into a plurality ofupwardly extending spaced tabs with each tab formed of said uppermostplurality of discontinuous horizontal strands interconnecting aplurality of vertical strands.

2. A construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tabs are flaredoutwardly and are secured at their ends to a continuous means whichsecures said tabs in fixed relation to one another.

3. A construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said frame has acontinuous reinforcing tape secured to it above the bottom edge of saidframe and below said tabs.

4. A construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cap constructionis formed with an outer cover overlying said mesh with said outercovering having a plurality of mesh-like openings of greater size thanthe openings formed by said strands of said frame.

5. A construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said frame is formedof woven monofilament nylon.

6. A construction as set forth in claim 5 wherein said tabs formmesh-like members stitched to portions of a hat crown.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,145,463 7/15Benjamin 2--209.4 1,955,986 4/34 Tioe 2209.4 2,185,670 1/40 Kaye 2-2O9.42,555,348 6/51 Lev 2--209.7 X

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A CAP CONSTRUCTION A CIRCULAR FRAME FORMED OF SELF SUPPORTINGWOVEN MATERIAL WITH SAID MATERIAL HAVING A PLURALITY OF PARALLELHORIZONTAL STRANDS EXTENDING AROUND SAID FRAME AND A PLURALITY OFPARALLEL VERTICAL STRANDS INTERWOVEN WITH SAID HORIZONTAL STRANDS, ANDWITH THE UPPERMOST OF A PLURALITY OF SAID HORIZONTAL STRANDS SEVEREDALONG A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL LINES AT REGULAR INTERVALS